Rapture
by nightwriter.23
Summary: Kagome lived a peaceful life in her small, coastal village. She didn't have much other than her guardian Sesshomaru, her family, and the Shikon Jewel that hung around her neck. Naraku, King of the East, is determined to take it all away. In that order. AU
1. Sesshomaru, One Armed Assassin

**RAPTURE**

A/N: This is just a random dream I had... It didn't have Sesshomaru or Kagome in my dream, of course, but I substituted them into it for fun. Most of the chapters are written already, so I'll be posting the chapters once a week, most likely on Friday. So every Friday, look for updates! :) By the way, this is my first Inuyasha fanfiction... so please be kind in your reviews! Thanks!

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**Part I: Sesshomaru, the One-Armed Assassin**

_The law-keepers are slacking, _Sesshomaru noted dryly, as he tugged his blade from another human thief. The body collapsed quickly, and he sliced at the air, ridding the polished steel blade of excess blood and gray matter. Turning back to what he figured was their camp- for the ground was littered with food, sleeping gear, and pieces of fire wood- he gave the remaining two bandits the iciest glare he could manage.

"Leave now, or die."

They ran without hesitation, scrambling over the bodies that were strewn about the dirt road. He glanced over at their wagon full of stolen goods and made his way past it, continuing the journey that had been interrupted by the petty humans. Just as he reached the edge of the clearing, a tiny hiccup caught his pointed ear, halting his footsteps. He turned his head and gazed evenly at the wagon, where a young girl, no older than seven or eight years in human maturation, was staring at him. He would have just left without a second thought, if she hadn't shimmered, granting him the brief opportunity to see _through _her.

His eyes widened minutely. _How could I not have sensed her sooner?_ He asked himself. He inhaled purposefully, his eyes widening further when he found the air carried nothing of the child's scent. As a dog-demon, this threw him off completely. She faded slightly from sight once more, and he frowned. Her chocolate eyes ran from his face to his hair, and finally, like everyone else, her eyes landed on his empty left sleeve.

"Have you never seen a demon before?" He asked. To his growing ire, she showed no fear, and merely shrugged.

"I've seen demons before," she told him. Her voice sounded warped, like a choked whisper. He felt... unbalanced, and he didn't like it. _Like a three-legged dog,_ he thought ironically.

"Why can I not sense you?" He asked sharply, resisting the urge to circle her like a predator pacing about its prey. He chose to study her from afar instead. Perhaps the child was a demon, and was trying to trick him. Reaching out with his youki, the idea was quickly pushed aside. No demon could completely hide its youki. The girl gave a one-armed shrug.

"I dunno," she replied. "Thanks for saving me."

"I did not do it for you," he quipped, scoffing. "They were in my way."

"You still saved me," she pointed out, her voice twisting in his ears. "Mama says it's good manners to thank people who help you."

Sesshomaru, no longer feeling the itch of curiosity, rolled his eyes and walked away, somehow not surprised when she padded along the path after him. The forest surrounding them was thick, and growing dark as night fell. If the bandits had taken her, she could be hundreds of miles away from home. Despite the irritation that gnawed at the base of his skull, his honor would not let him abandon a child in the demon-infested wood.

_Troublesome,_ he thought.

"My name is Kagome," the girl piped up a few moments later, her voice cheery, but still unnaturally quiet. Sesshomaru hummed lightly in response, but otherwise made no move as if to acknowledge her existence. His duty required him to take her to the nearest human village- not become her friend. He growled when she tugged on the empty sleeve of his white dress shirt. "How did you lose your arm?"

"In battle," he responded shortly, gritting his teeth. He pulled the sleeve away, and she scoffed much like he had only moments before. _Such an impressionable child._

"Mama says it's rude not to introduce yourself," Kagome hinted. He sent her an icy glare, but she didn't flinch. She was lucky his honor kept him from harming children- her impudence would have cost her life.

"It is none of your business who I am."

"Fine." She looked away, humming softly as she jogged alongside him. Her 'silence' didn't last long. "What kind of demon are you?"

_Can she not be quiet?_ "... Dog."

"Oooh!" She gasped and smiled up at him admiringly. "Dog demons are strong," she told him, as if he didn't know. "Papa says they're the strongest of all!"

"Your father is correct." Sesshomaru felt a swell of pride replace the irritation within his chest.

"He also says they're different. They aren't evil," she told him matter-of-factly. "Papa says they have honor."

_Not evil? _Sesshomaru supposed that to Kagome, he didn't seem very evil. He had just saved her from bandits, after all. But it wasn't out of kindness or love of peace that they avoided the humans. These were the times of human men, after all- empires were being built and kingdoms were falling to ruins overnight. Though rare, some kings throughout history hired lesser demons as a type of mercenary guard. No human army could crumble a kingdom protected by demons. The trend spread, starting an arms race across the world. Whoever had the strongest demons was the strongest king.

Sesshomaru was rather glad his own kind had more dignity than the wretches who would drop to bended knee for the human scum who called themselves king. That isn't to say they hadn't tried to recruit the dog demons. The current King of the East was one such king, a man who had an army of weak demons and had tried to get the dog demons to join.

_The King himself is no threat,_ Sesshomaru mused to himself, _but that consultant of his, Naraku, is proving to be quite a nuisance. If the half-demon continues trying to crawl his way into the Western Lands, Father will have no choice but to retaliate... and if Naraku becomes King, war is inevitable. _His frown deepened. _The fool would undoubtedly use his resources to locate the Shikon Jewel._

Another series of soft sniffles brought him from this thoughts, and he looked back at the girl, who faded out of his sight momentarily like mist. Once he could focus on her form, he realized she was crying. He once more felt a surge of irritation; why could he not smell her tears? Though, as an afterthought, he supposed he should be grateful. The smell of tears had always made his skin crawl uncomfortably.

"Are we far from home?" she asked him, her tiny pink lips trembling.

"I do not know where you live," he pointed out stoically.

"Our village has no name," she told him, her words warping slightly in his ears, and he hid a scowl. It was nothing short of disorienting to have his senses twisted.

_A spell? _He asked himself, glancing sharply at the child. _No. She was not lying when she said she didn't know why I could not sense her. A protection charm, perhaps?_

"It's by the ocean, though. I play in the waves with my little brother sometimes," she continued, looking up at him expectantly.

As luck would have it, Sesshomaru did know of a small coastal village that had no name. It was a poor town, and, thankfully, only a few miles away. They would be there in a few hours. Kagome tripped, sprawling through the dirt, and Sesshomaru resisted the urge to sigh, instead rolling his golden eyes up to the darkened sky. _Make that a day or so. Damn my honor._

"My necklace is glowing," Kagome piped up, not bothering to stand. She was still kneeling in the dirt, cupping a small pink light within her tiny palms when Sesshomaru turned to look. He felt the pulse against his _youki_, the softest brush of holy power that made his skin tingle and hackles rise. Kagome shifted into sight completely, and his eyes widened slightly.

"What is that?"

"This? It's the Shikon Jewel," she replied, as if it were just another toy. "I've never seen it glow before. Isn't it pretty?"

Sesshomaru stared.

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A/N: The End!

Just kidding. :) Stay tuned on Fridays! Sometimes if I get a lot of reviews I post early, but for now, we'll just stick to every Friday! Enjoy, and please leave a review if you haven't already!


	2. Kagome, Guardian of the Jewel

**RAPTURE**

A/N: Happy Friday! :) TGIF, am I right? Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

**Part II: Kagome, Guardian of the Shikon Jewel**

16-year-old Kagome Higurashi lived a peaceful life, despite the poverty that surrounded her. Her mother had been working hard as a baker to keep her children from starving ever since the death of their father, and Kagome's grandfather ran the only shrine in the village. It wasn't much, what with the huge amount of taxes they all had to pay to the King Naraku, but it was enough.

The village was small, and relied on farming and trade to prosper, but Naraku's steeply increasing taxes kept all their noses in the dirt like homeless peasants, along with the threat of his army destroying their village if they didn't pay. So far, Kagome had been especially lucky- the robberies had stopped, and demonic attacks on the human villagers had ended overnight- but she supposed that was because of Sesshomaru, her demon guardian.

"Kagome." The familiar, emotionless voice startled her, and she turned with a blush to see the exact subject of her thoughts approaching her through the trees. Sesshomaru was more than her guardian, he was her childhood love; they went as far back as she could remember, when he saved her from bandits. She smiled warmly at him. His hair was braided today, she noticed, and he wore his usual white dress shirt under his brown leather jerkin.

She held back a sigh. He was always so beautiful.

"Good morning," she greeted cheerfully, waving. He lifted his chin in return, and that's when she noticed the small, red-haired boy bounding along after Sesshomaru, and automatically opened her arms so the child could leap up into them. "Shippo!"

"Hi, Kagome!" He hugged his surrogate mother, burying his face into her chest.

Shippo was a fox demon who had been orphaned a few years prior to meeting her, and she had taken him in without question, loving him like any mother would love her son. She wasn't surprised to see him out in the forest during the day. He stayed out of town, where the people could see his fluffy, auburn tail and know immediately he wasn't human. Ever since Naraku became King, people's tolerance for demons had been slowly dwindling away.

_Except for Sesshomaru, _Kagome mused, once more gazing at the demon. _Then again, no one would dare offend the Might Dog Demon_. Sesshomaru caught her look and looked away.

"The kit was becoming restless," he explained.

Kagome's stomach fluttered happily at the sound of his voice- truthfully, Sesshomaru was a demon of few words. Ever since he had rescued her, he had stayed by her side as a faithful guardian, and eventually, they had forged a strange type of friendship. Anything beyond that was shadowed in his past, and she hadn't asked. She smiled warmly at the demon.

"Thank you, Sesshomaru." He didn't reply, and Kagome knelt in front of Shippo. "I hope you're behaving well for Sesshomaru, Shippo. He did a very nice thing, agreeing to watch over you while I'm at the shrine."

"I am," he promised, his tail twitching excitedly. "Are you going to your lessons now?"

"Yes." Kagome cupped the small pink jewel that hung around her neck within her hands. "I can finally use the protection charm to its complete potential, but there's so much more power in the Jewel to unlock."

"You can disappear completely now?" Shippo asked, astonished. "Let me see!"

Kagome flashed a smile and held the Jewel to her heart, allowing her heartbeat to sync with the rhythmic pulsing of power within it until Shippo's eyes, still on her face, were no longer focused. He was now looking through her.

"That's great, Kagome! I can't even smell you!" He looked up at the dog-demon, whose eyes still pierced into her hers. "Can you sense her, Sesshomaru?"

"Yes."

Kagome smiled. She knew he wasn't lying. The Jewel's protection spell never fully worked on him. Though he couldn't hear, see, or smell her, his youki was somehow able to find her no matter how hard she concentrated. Having successfully tested the protection charm on other demons, she suspected it was because he was so used to her presence, but she didn't dare speak the implications out loud. She would only be disappointed- Sesshomaru was a demon, and had better taste than a poor, average looking human.

His eyes narrowed as he felt her sadness, but she quickly dropped the shield, kissing Shippo gently on his forehead with a smile.

"I'll be back by nightfall, Shippo. Stay out of trouble, okay?"

"Okay. Bye, Kagome!" He turned and ran to Sesshomaru, who was still looking at her speculatively, and she waved.

"Thank you again for watching him, Sesshomaru."

"I will be here when you are finished," he replied, turning and walking away. Kagome watched him go, sighing sadly. Of all the nice boys in the village she could have loved, she had to fall for the perfect, untouchable demon.

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By the time Kagome's lessons ended, the sun was getting ready to set, and the forest was dark. She could still see for the most part, and peered into the shadows for the white-silver hair or tall, muscular frame that would give away Sesshomaru. She waited for a few moments before sighing heavily and starting back down the path to the village. Perhaps he had forgotten.

"You there! Surrender," a man's voice called out to her from the path. She couldn't see anything but the silhouette of the owner of the voice.

"What?" Kagome blinked, trying to adjust her eyes to the darkness, but the orange hazy lighting of the village behind him made his visage nothing but shadows. "Just who am I surrendering to? And why? I've done nothing wrong."

He gave no other warning, and soon had his hands on her arms and in her hair, dragging her roughly down the path. Kagome let a shocked cry leave her lips before lashing out, her foot catching him behind the knee and sending him crumpling to the ground. Her heart raced in her chest as she backed away. Only one of Naraku's guards would be ordering her to surrender, which meant... trouble in the village.

"Stand back." Another man appeared from the shadows and stepped in front of her, shielding her from her attacker. Kagome saw the long, white plait that swayed along his back and gasped.

"Sesshomaru!" He ducked forward without hesitation or warning, and there was a startled gasp followed by a sickening thud as the body hit the ground. Kagome flinched, recognizing the sound. Sesshomaru was an excellent assassin, there was no doubt about that. The loss of his arm probably hadn't hindered him a bit. He kept his katana unsheathed as he entered the village, Kagome running alongside him. As soon as they reached the end of the woodland path, Kagome felt her knees go weak at the sight:

Her village was in flames.

She could see the havoc and devastation that the fires were causing. Houses were burning, people were screaming and running from armored soldiers, and demons cut down human men with their blades as easily as if cutting through water. Kagome tuned out the screams as best she could, and scanned the crowds for her family. She started into the crowd, shock numbing the instincts that shouted at her to run.

"No." Sesshomaru blocked her way with his sword, glancing back at her over his shoulder. "Stay hidden and flee to the temple. I will find your family and lead them there."

"Sesshomaru, what's going on? Why are they attacking us?"

"Naraku has made his choice," he answered cryptically. "Hurry to the temple."

Kagome nodded reluctantly. She was snuggled safely between the forest and a hut that had yet to be burned, so she could easily escape. As he turned to leave, Kagome grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

"Be careful," she pleaded. Sesshomaru nodded, his promise echoing in her ears as he vanished amid the chaos.

"I will be back."

Kagome shook her head and ducked into the trees. Sesshomaru would bring her family, safe, to the temple, just as he said. The others... What about the others?

"Let go of me!" A young female voice drifted to Kagome's ears, and she looked back in time to see a human soldier hoist a little girl over his shoulder despite her screaming and kicking. The child bared her teeth and bit down on the man's neck, momentarily stunning him. Thinking fast, Kagome grabbed the nearest fist-sized rock and lunged out of the trees.

"HEY!" Kagome yelled, effectively drawing the man's attention. "Let that girl go... or else!"

The man shoved the child away and looked Kagome up and down, giving her a skeptical sneer. "Or else what?"

Kagome lifted her chin defiantly and gave him her best glare. "Or else you'll have to deal with me!"

"Heh. I like your attitude, girl, but this ain't the time or the place for it." He took a breath, and Kagome launched the rock as hard as she could before he could call for any other soldiers in the area. He dropped immediately, and Kagome scooped the girl up into her arms. Just as she began backing away, two other guards materialized out of the smoke, both studying her with malicious crimson eyes.

_Demon,_ Kagome thought fearfully. She swallowed anxiously and looked around, but there was no sign of Sesshomaru. _He'll be angry when he finds out I didn't go to the temple,_ she thought vaguely. She didn't care. She couldn't have just let the girl be taken away to be sold into some sort of perverse slavery.

The streets were less crowded now- most of the women and children had already been rounded up and separated, and the remaining men were either too injured to move, or dead. With a deep breath, Kagome weighed her chances. Calling on the Shikon Jewel, she turned away from the demons who could no longer see her, and ran. The girl in her arms weighed her down, but Kagome sprinted as hard as she could, leaping over a body and gritting her teeth.

_I have to get to Sesshomaru!_

"Gotcha!"

Kagome shrieked as the hands grabbed at her, pulling her roughly to the ground and snapping her right wrist as she struggled to catch herself. Luckily the girl in her arms wasn't injured, but Kagome couldn't say the same. She was hauled up to her feet, and the girl was dragged away once more.

"You run fast, for a human," her captor said. Kagome gasped at his golden eyes and silver hair. Sesshomaru flitted across her mind, but it wasn't him. This man had darker skin- and dog ears. A demon! _But how? I had my barrier up!_ "If I wasn't a half-demon," he continued arrogantly, "you might have gotten away."

"Let the girl go," Kagome demanded. "She's just a child."

"You're in no position to be making demands, wench," the half-demon snorted. "But whatever you say." He released the girl, waiting until she disappeared from view to drag Kagome, kicking and crying and screaming, over to the wagons where the rest of the villagers had been rounded up. "Naraku doesn't care about little runts like her anyway," he said as he dumped her inside. "He wants women who can reproduce, if you catch my drift."

Fear washed over Kagome's body so fast that nausea pooled within her stomach and made her dizzy. She gasped for air, but it seemed as though she were drowning. Her heart raced a thousand times a second. Summoning up what little strength remained, she screamed as loud as she could.

"SESSHOMARU!" Rattling the bars of her small, cramped prison, she let out one last desperate cry for help. "SESSHOMARU!!"

The horses whinnied and began walking away, knocking her off her feet with their sudden movement, and Kagome felt her heart drop into her stomach as tears pooled in her eyes. Sesshomaru wasn't going to save her this time. He wasn't there. 

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**A/N:** Not off to such a great start, is it? Poor Kagome! Anyway, review, please! Reviews are the reason I wake up in the morning. That, and breakfast. Mm, potatoes and bacon... Now I'm hungry.


	3. Inuyasha, Half Demon

**RAPTURE**

A/N: Happy Friday, everyone! Thank you for waiting patiently for this next chapter. I hope you enjoy it!

**Part III: Inuyasha, the Half-Demon**

Kagome's tears had dried by the time they reached the castle, but the pain in her wrist had only gotten worse. As the guards lined up all the villagers, she wondered what Naraku did with injured slaves. The prisoners were filed one by one into the Naraku's throne room for inspection; if you passed, you were a slave. If you didn't... you were food. She swallowed anxiously as a shock-induced thought crossed her mind- would she taste like chicken? A nervous giggle left her lips, but no one heard it. She looked around at the throng of people that were shoved down the hall. There were many people from her village in line, but with a sigh of relief, Kagome realized that her mother, brother, and adopted son were not among them.

Her determination reborn, Kagome decided her only option was to escape before she was inspected. _Easier said than done,_ she told herself, glancing slyly around the hall. She was getting closer to Naraku's door with each passing minute, and every entrance was guarded by demons. She wouldn't be able to just walk out.

_The protection charm!_ As far as Kagome knew, it worked only on demons. The guard who had caught her was half-demon... his human side must have let him see through the barrier, but if she could make it past the demons, she'd be home free. Before she could weigh her options, a pale-skinned woman walked down the line, glancing purposefully at everyone she passed. Beside her stood the man who had caught her. The half-demon.

"I can sense it," the woman said, her voice emotionless. Her eyes were dark and empty, giving Kagome the chills as they landed on her. As soon as their gazes met, sparks flew, and the woman strode toward her, her ebony locks billowing behind her. "You! Who are you?"

"Who are you?" Kagome asked back, intimidated by the lack of emotion. The woman was wearing the traditional robes of a priestess, but this woman had no life in her- no light. Was she one of the Fallen Priestesses?

"I am Kikyo. A priestess, like you," she replied.

"Why are you in Naraku's castle if you're a priestess?" Kagome asked, suspicious. "Are you helping him?"

"For now... Not that it's any business of yours." Kikyo's eyes moved down to the Jewel, and Kagome got a bad feeling in her gut- one that told her to hide. "Now, tell me who you are, Keeper of the Jewel."

"...My name is Kagome."

"Bring her immediately," Kikyo said to the half-demon. "She is the one he wants."

"Sure thing." The half-demon motioned toward the hall, which led away from Naraku's door. "You're not gonna make me drag you kickin' and screamin' again, are ya?"

"No," she said, moving after the emotionless priestess without trouble. Anything to get her further away from Naraku. The half-demon gave her a fanged grin as she passed, and she felt like prey being stalked by a predator as he followed behind her. By the time she reached their destination- a small room full of books and scrolls- she felt numb. Thankfully, the lack of feeling included her wrist. The pain was reduced to a dull throb that she barely felt.

"The Jewel is a sacred Holy relic," Kikyo started, sounding extraordinarily like she was about to give one of her grandfather's lectures. "It has been passed from priestess to priestess for centuries, ever since the Great Midoriko herself created it. You have come to possess it from your grandmother, I assume?"

"Yes," Kagome replied. "My grandmother, Kaede, was-"

"My sister," Kikyo finished, interrupting her. "I was the Keeper of the Jewel before Kaede. When I died, Kaede passed it unto you, a mere infant."

"When you..." Kagome blinked. "When you died?"

"What you see before you is not my true body," Kikyo admitted. "I was brought back to life in this poor imitation of a body to serve Naraku."

"The bastard has gotten too powerful for his own good," The half-demon growled. "That's why we need your help, wench."

"My name isn't wench," Kagome snapped. "It's Kagome! Ka-go-me!"

"I don't really care what it is," he told her, a furry ear upon his head flicking back in annoyance.

"Inuyasha." Kikyo's voice settled the argument immediately, and Kagome let her hand drift up to clench the Jewel within her fist. _Inuyasha... so that's his name? Why does it sound so familiar?_

"What do you need me for?" She asked.

"Did you know that a single, pure wish can make the Jewel fade forever?" Kikyo turned, brushing her fingertips along a dusty tabletop. "As priestesses, it is our duty to keep the Jewel from evil hands- whether by protecting it... or destroying it. Very few things in this world are pure, Kagome. Fewer are those that can be the right wish to free Midoriko's soul."

"Then what can?"

"...True love." Kikyo pierced her with a glare. "Only a wish made out of true love, the purest emotion, can remove the Jewel from this world." Kagome's mind drifted to Sesshomaru, but she shook herself out of her reverie. Kikyo sighed and continued, "When I was alive and Keeper of the Jewel, I decided to give up my title and settle down. Inuyasha was going to wish to be human, so that we could be together. Unfortunately, before we could, Naraku tricked us. His illusions and lies tore us apart... our love was not strong enough because we did not yet trust each other."

Kagome could see the pained guilt in Inuyasha's eyes. She nodded in understanding.

"How am I supposed to use true love to make a wish? I-I don't... you know..." She blushed, but Kikyo didn't notice.

"For now, all you can do is give Naraku the Jewel."

Kagome's mouth dropped open. It was the last solution she had expected to leave the priestess' lips. "What?"

"Do you have a hearing problem, Ka-go-me?" Inuyasha scoffed. "Just give him the damn Jewel. He can't do anything with it because it's been purified."

"There has to be another way," she whispered. "I can't just give it to him! He's evil! He'll- He'll corrupt it!"

"There is nothing you can do," Kikyo told her. "You've been captured. Either you give it to him, or he will kill you and take it."

Kagome weighed those options carefully. True love could make a wish? She sighed. Sesshomaru could not be her true love. True love had to reciprocated.

"Fine," Kagome said, feeling as though she had just single-handedly destroyed the world. "I'll do it."

Cold dread shot through her veins, but her choice was made. She didn't understand why giving the Jewel to Naraku was the right choice, but Kikyo was a priestess- there was no way she could be helping Naraku. Doubt was creeping into the back of her mind, but Kikyo's words were true. If she refused, she would be killed and he would get the Jewel anyway. At least alive, she could wait for Sesshomaru to rescue her.

_Is he tracking me here? Is he already on his way?_ Kagome followed Inuyasha and Kikyo as they led her back to Naraku, her eyes on her feet. _Sesshomaru, can you hear me? I'm waiting, Sesshomaru. You've never let me down before... so I have complete faith in you. Even if it takes you days, weeks, or months. I'll wait for you. I know you'll find me._

Naraku was waiting on his throne when they arrived, his beady red eyes following her every movement as she approached him. Kagome studied the arrogance on his face, the evil in his eyes, and felt a sudden swell of hatred toward the man. This half-demon had killed her father, ruined her village, and possibly killed her family...

"Naraku."

"Is that any way to address your respected King?"

"I have no respect for a man like you," Kagome spat, "and you are no King of mine! You, who sent a hundred men, including my father, to their deaths on the Dead Sea just to make room for your pathetic demons!"

"Now, now," he replied peacefully, his arms spread wide. "No need for such hostility. Even a good King must make sacrifices to help his people. It truly is a tragedy, but sometimes you don't know what's good for you, and that's where I come in."

"What's good for me? You burned my village to the ground and slaughtered its men! You enslaved its women and children, Naraku, I know nothing good will come of that!"

"On the contrary," he said, his voice infuriatingly calm as he stood and made his way toward her, "I now have the Jewel. That is extremely beneficial, wouldn't you say?"

"You're a monster," she whispered. "The Jewel will do nothing for you."

"We won't know until we try, will we?" He plucked it roughly from the chain around her neck, twirling it between his thumb and index finger in the candlelight. "To think, such a small trinket holds such amazing power... Now, Inuyasha, take her to the slave quarters."

"Come on," Inuyasha said, tugging her back toward the door. "Let's go."

Kagome's anger brought tears to her eyes, but she said nothing as she followed Inuyasha down the maze-like hallways. He glanced back at her every now and then, but didn't say anything until they reached the room where she would be staying. She stared up at him, his golden eyes haunting her, teasing her with thoughts of Sesshomaru.

"They'll take good care of you here," he assured Kagome quietly, avoiding her gaze. "Miroku is a monk, and pretty good with people... Oi, what are you lookin' at?" He asked suddenly, irritated by her staring.

"You look like someone I know," Kagome replied sadly. "The same silver hair and golden eyes... I was just thinking about him. I miss him."

"The same hair and eyes?" He reached up with a clawed finger to delicately scratch the tip of his ear. "A demon?"

"Yes." Kagome smiled faintly. "He's a mercenary. I've known him since I was a little girl- he saved me from a group of thieves."

Inuyasha's eyes widened in surprise. "Mercenary? You can't be talking about Sesshomaru..."

Kagome lit up immediately. "Yes! Yes, that's him! Do you know him?"

"Of course I know that bastard," he growled, still shocked. "He's my brother... and he ain't no assassin- he's a prince."

**A/N: **Dun dun dun.... Kagome finds out the truth about Sesshomaru! I have a hard time keeping Kagome in character, because she is so emotionally unpredictable! Oh well, I like it as it is. Tell me how I did, please! Thanks so much for reading, and stayed tuned for next week's chapter: **"The Monk and the Demon Slayer"**


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